Sella turcica

For the 2010 film, see Sella Turcica (film).

Sella turcica
File:Sella turcica08.png Human skull seen from side (parietal bones and temporal bones have been removed). Sella turcica shown in red.
Sella turcica and pituitary gland.
Details
Latin	Sella turcica
Identifiers
Dorlands /Elsevier	s_07/12728179
TA
TH	{{#property:P1694}}
TE	{{#property:P1693}}
FMA	{{#property:P1402}}
Anatomical terms of bone [[[d:|edit on Wikidata]]]

The sella turcica (Turkish Chair) is a saddle-shaped depression in the body of the sphenoid bone of the human skull and of the skulls of other Hominidae including chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas. It serves as a cephalometric landmark.

Structure

The seat of the saddle, the deepest part of the sella turcica known as the hypophysial fossa is located in a depression in the body of the sphenoid bone and this holds the pituitary gland (hypophysis). The sella turcica is located in the sphenoid bone behind the chiasmatic groove and the tuberculum sellae. It belongs to the middle cranial fossa. In front of the hypophyseal fossa is the tuberculum sellae.

Completing the formation of the saddle posteriorly is the dorsum sellae, which is continuous with the clivus, inferoposteriorly. The dorsum sellae is terminated laterally by the posterior clinoid processes.

Function

The sella turcica forms a bony seat for the pituitary gland.

Clinical significance

Empty sella syndrome is the condition of a shrunken or flattened pituitary gland.

Since the sella turcica forms a bony caudal border for the pituitary gland, a pituitary tumor usually extends upward in the rostral direction into the suprasellar region. This can result in compression of the optic chiasm, which lies on top of the pituitary, enveloping the pituitary stalk. Compression of the optic chiasm can lead to bitemporal hemianopsia, and, when there is no relevant trauma, this clinical finding is pathognomonic for a pituitary tumor.

Some pituitary adenomas can extend inferiorly, growing downward and invading the sphenoid bone and cavernous sinus. Adenomas greater than 10mm (macroadenomas) can cause remodeling of the underlying sphenoid bone altering the shape of the sella turcica.

Sella turcica is also usually used as a reference point with nasion to establish the base of the skull in cephalometric analysis. This is commonly done prior to orthodontic treatment.

Etymology

Sella turcica is from the Latin words sella, meaning seat, and turcica, meaning Turkish.

See also

This article uses anatomical terminology; for an overview, see Anatomical terminology.

• Sphenoidal sinuses
• Empty sella syndrome

Additional images

• Sella turcica - animation03.gif

  Human skull seen from side (parietal bones and temporal bones have been removed). Sella turcica shown in red.

• Hypophysial fossa01.png

  Hypophysial fossa shown in red.

• Sella turcica - animation02.gif

  Sphenoid bone seen from above. Sella turcica shown in red.

• Base of skull 8.jpg

  Base of skull - Sella turcica, tuberculum sellae and hypophyseal fossa

External links

• Image at Indiana.edu